The Reading Railway - In Partnership with Usborne

11/06/2026

This slide stopped me in my tracks today.

"The circle was never the limit. Growth happens when we intentionally step beyond the line."

If I'm honest, I spend a lot of time encouraging other people to take chances on themselves whilst staying safely inside my own circle.

The last few years have stretched me in ways I never expected: ✨ Running a bookshop ✨ Leading volunteers ✨ Managing a major grants programme ✨ Building a team ✨ Raising three children

And yet it's easy to focus on how far there is still to go instead of how far you've already come.

Today's reminder was simple.

Growth doesn't happen because we're comfortable.

It happens when we do the thing that feels slightly scary.
The conversation. The application. The event. The first post. The first sale. The decision to start.
What line are you being encouraged to step beyond right now?

08/05/2026

This is one of those books that parents message me about after they’ve bought it…
“Do you have any more like this?” 😅

The Summer Magic Painting Book is an absolute favourite every year—and once you see it in action, you’ll get why 👇

🎥 https://youtu.be/wEkhyWIbirQ?si=P9AqVxDkf60b4sN6

No mess
No paint pots
Just water… and suddenly the pages come to life
It’s one of those rare things that:
✔️ actually holds their attention
✔️ gives you 10 minutes to breathe (or drink a hot coffee 🙌)
✔️ feels a bit like magic for them
And I get so many messages from parents saying their children go back to it again and again.

Perfect for:
☀️ summer days
✈️ travel
🍽️ keeping them busy while you sort dinner
If you’ve not tried one of these before—this is a great place to start.
Drop me a message if you’d like the link or want me to pop one aside for you 💛

08/05/2026

This is one of those books that parents message me about after they’ve bought it…

“Do you have any more like this?” 😅

The Summer Magic Painting Book is an absolute favourite every year—and once you see it in action, you’ll get why 👇

🎥 https://youtu.be/wEkhyWIbirQ?si=P9AqVxDkf60b4sN6
No mess
No paint pots
Just water… and suddenly the pages come to life

It’s one of those rare things that:
✔️ actually holds their attention
✔️ gives you 10 minutes to breathe (or drink a hot coffee 🙌)
✔️ feels a bit like magic for them

And I get so many messages from parents saying their children go back to it again and again.

Perfect for:
☀️ summer days
✈️ travel
🍽️ keeping them busy while you sort dinner

If you’ve not tried one of these before—this is a great place to start.

Drop me a message if you’d like the link or want me to pop one aside for you 💛

10 likes. "Summer Magic Painting Book"

07/05/2026

There’s something coming next year that not many people are talking about yet…

Reception numbers for 2026–2027 are expected to be lower in many areas due to a dip in birth rates.

And while that might not sound like a big deal at first—
it has a real impact on schools and nurseries.

Fewer pupils = less funding.
And often, things like book budgets are some of the first to feel the pressure. Many schools are already feeling the pressure on their budgets before a pupil number drop...

Which is exactly why what we offer as Usborne Partners matters so much.

I work with schools and nurseries to run fully organised sponsored reading programmes like Ready, Steady, Read (and Ready, Steady, Listen for younger children) that:

✨ raise funds for free books
✨ build excitement around reading
✨ support literacy in a way children genuinely enjoy

And the best part?

It doesn’t rely on schools and nurseries dipping into already stretched budgets.

Everything is organised by me—from set up to resources—so it’s easy for schools and nurseries to take part without adding extra pressure on staff.

I’ve seen first-hand the difference these programmes make…
not just in the number of books schools can access, but in how children engage with reading.

So if you’re a teacher, part of a school, or you know one that might be feeling the squeeze — I’d love to help.

Drop me a message and I can share how it works 📚

06/05/2026

I nearly didn’t share this… but actually, it matters.

In April, our team sold £3502.09 worth of Usborne books. The majority of this (around £3200) was to schools and actually the value to schools would have been £5120 with Usborne's free book allowance for schools.

And yes—that’s a number.
But what it really means is this:

✨ hundreds of books into children’s hands
✨ more stories being read at bedtime
✨ more children building confidence through reading
✨more schools getting new books and resources into children's hands, supporting their learning and broadening their horizons

That’s the bit I care about most.

Because this isn’t just about “selling books”.

It’s about a group of ordinary women—
busy mums, juggling work, life, everything—
finding small pockets of time to build something alongside it all.

No one is doing this full-time.
No one has loads of spare hours.

But together, those small, consistent steps add up to something pretty powerful.

And alongside that impact, they’re also:
– earning extra income
– building confidence
– creating something that’s theirs

That’s what this business looks like in real life.

So if you’ve ever thought about doing something alongside your current life—
something flexible, meaningful, and genuinely doable…

comment INFO below or send me a message and I’ll talk you through how it actually works.

No pressure—just real information so you can decide for yourself 💛

05/05/2026

These took me straight back 🥹

The Poppy & Sam Farmyard Tales have been around for over 40 years…
and there’s a reason they’re still such a favourite.

Simple, lovely stories about the Boot family…
and every single page has a little duck to find 🐤

Honestly—this is one of those books that keeps little ones engaged without you even trying.
Story + a game in one = win.

I’ve shared 3 of our favourites here, but there’s a whole collection to choose from—
perfect for building up a little library at home.

And the best bit?
They’re just £2.50 each… or you can grab the full collection for £14.99.

Proper, heartwarming stories that kids love…
and if you remember these from when you were little, that just makes them even more special 💛

If you’d like the link or want help choosing, just drop me a message.

04/05/2026

Be honest… how many bedtime stories tonight? 1, 2 or ‘just one more’ x5

Excuse the AI Video reading the story backwards 😵‍💫

03/05/2026

This felt very fitting for a Sunday evening.

Because this is usually the point in my week where I sit down and look at everything ahead…

What the kids have on
Where I need to be for work
What the week actually looks like (and how full it already feels before it’s even started)

And then somewhere in that…
I figure out where my business fits.

Not hours and hours.
Not some perfect plan.

Just… where can I realistically show up this week?

Because I’ll be honest—
it would be very easy to say “not this week”
or “I’ll start properly when life calms down”

But life doesn’t really calm down, does it?

So for me, it’s about deciding:
👉 what do I want to achieve this week?
👉 and where can I fit the small steps in?

That might be a couple of posts
a few messages
one conversation

Nothing massive—but done consistently, it adds up.

So if you’re sat there tonight mentally running through the week ahead already…
maybe this is your reminder that you don’t need loads of time to start something.

Just a plan that fits your life—and the consistency to follow through 💛

03/05/2026

I don’t have loads of spare time.
I don’t have quiet, uninterrupted evenings.
And I definitely didn’t start this with a “perfect plan”.

What I do have… is a life that’s full.
Work, kids, everything that comes with it.

And every Sunday night, I sit down and look at the week ahead—
where I need to be, what the kids have on…
and where I can realistically fit something in for me.

That’s how this started.

Not with hours.
Not with a big leap.
Just small, consistent steps that fit around real life.

✨ A few posts
✨ A few conversations
✨ Showing up when I could

And over time… it’s grown into something that gives me:
– extra income
– flexibility
– and something that’s mine alongside everything else

So if you’ve ever thought:

“I’d love something like that… but I don’t have the time”

I get it. I really do.

But it might not look how you think it does.

If you’re curious about what running your own Usborne bookshop actually looks like (properly, not the highlight reel)…
comment INFO below and I’ll send you the details 💛